As a Venture Fellow within our fundraising and portfolio support arm, you will work closely with the founders and spearhead key functions that bridge Holocene’s investment strategy with operational execution. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong background in sales, management consulting, or business operations, and a deep passion for climate innovation. You will work closely with our leadership team to manage the fundraise process for Holocene Ventures Fund I & II, support portfolio companies in their fundraising efforts, and drive strategic business development efforts

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Position details

• Position - Venture Fellow

• Hours - Full-time position for a contract period of 6 months 

• Reporting - Reports to CEO  

• Fixed Salary - Fellows will be paid a living allowance to subsidize daily expenses

• Location - Ability to work from Cape Town and Stellenbosch, South Africa 

• Start date  - 15 January 2025​

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Responsibilities

Sales Operations & Business Development Strategy

• Develop and execute a strategic sales operations plan to ensure pipeline generation and account management for Holocene Ventures Fund vehicles.

• Set up and attend high-impact meetings for senior leadership, based on Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) across various LP groups, to drive business development goals.

• Conduct lead screening calls to identify and vet potential LPs, investors, and partners.

• Manage and track CRM processes to ensure seamless follow-ups and pipeline reporting.

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​Portfolio Fundraising & Post-Investment Support

• Serve as the primary project manager for portfolio company fundraising efforts, from CRM management to investor communications and follow-ups.

• Provide support to portfolio companies in preparing for fundraises and business development, including drafting case studies, preparing pitch materials, and attending key meetings.

• Develop and manage a structured post-investment support process for portfolio companies to ensure long-term success.

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Community Engagement & Strategic Events

• Organize and execute strategic community events, ensuring alignment with Holocene’s mission and culture.

• Take ownership of key community-building initiatives and enable value creation across our climate ecosystem.
   

Qualifications and experience

• You're an outdoor-loving climate enthusiast eager to help entrepreneurs building in climate.

• You are either a graduate from or looking to commence your MBA from a top-tier business school. We are also open to candidates from a top-tier consulting firm, looking to pivot into climate tech and VC.

• Proven ability to build relationships and manage cross-functional stakeholders, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

• A deep passion for climate tech, a commitment to sustainability, and an empathy for those who have chosen the entrepreneurial path.

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Bonus

• A strong network within the investor and startup ecosystem. 

• Basic understanding of financial models, investor captables, and investor due diligence data.

 

Skills requirements

• You have 3-5 years of experience in sales, business development, or sales operations within a high-growth environment, such as startups, venture capital, or management consulting.

• Strong project management skills with experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

• Familiarity with key business software such as Gsuite, Hubspot, Asana, Beehiiv, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and RocketReach.

• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to craft compelling narratives for investor engagement.​

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What you can expect

• The opportunity to work at the forefront of climate tech innovation with a world-class and passionate team in Africa.

• A collaborative, fast-paced, and mission-driven work environment where you can make a tangible impact.​

• Access to nature - mountains, ocean, wildlife in Cape Town with an adventure-loving team and climate community.